On 27 October, the official launch of the Guide to Good Practices for Procurement of Territorial Public Works took place. This Guide seeks to be a reference for the promotion of State integrity when it comes to the procurement and contracting of public works, and to strengthen collaboration between the public sector, the private sector and civil society in the transparent and efficient development of processes to contract public works in Colombia.
The event was held in a hybrid format, with public officials, members of the public, journalists and civil society organizations participating. The researchers, Adriana Romero and Ivón Sepúlveda, started the conversation by presenting the main findings from the report, their methodology and their recommendations for issuing public contracts regarding public works in Colombia.
The Guide seeks to strengthen the capacities of stakeholders in the identification, monitoring and mitigation of inefficiencies in spending and risks of corruption in the contracting of public works during the pre-contractual phase (planning, calls for bids and awarding of contracts). The final panel was focused on this subject, with the participation of different experts: Óscar Hernández, Latin America Director at the Open Contracting Partnership; Lina González, Professor at the Universidad de los Andes (Andes University); and María Isabel Alvarado, Director of Mi Cali Hires Well (My Cali Hires Well).
To access the Guide, please click here.
For the Anti-Corruption Institute, it is very important to contribute to transparency, efficiency, and greater integrity in public procurement in Colombia. This work was made possible thanks to the support of organizations and individuals who share our deep-held belief that public infrastructure is a fundamental driver for development in Colombia, and in the power of public procurement to improve the quality of life of Colombians.
“We are grateful for the support of the Prosperity Program from the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Colombia, as well as the International Development Research Center (IDRC) at the Government of Canada for financing this document. We also appreciate the constant support of Oscar Hernández, Sofía Garzón and Camila Salazar, from the Open Contracting Partnership team, for their consultancy throughout the development of the Guide. We also appreciate the valuable contribution of the firm Beltrán Pardo Abogados y Asociados for the documentation and advice provided for the development of the regulatory and conceptual framework of this document,” said Adriana Romero and Ivón Sepúlveda.